Illuminator bracket



March 14, 1961 J. H. SPAULDING 2,974,920

ILLUMINATOR BRACKET Filed July 15, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH H SPAULDl/VG BY W W ATTO N Y March 14, 1961 J. H. SPAULDINGILLUMINATOR BRACKET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 15, 1958 v INVENTOR.JOSEPH H. SPAULDl/VG ATTOR llnited States Patent ILLUMINATOR BRACKETdoseph H. Spauldingf4814 S, Raebum Drive, Cincinnati 23, Ohio Thisinvention relates to an adjustable mounting bracket, and in particularan adjustable mounting bracket for outdoor fluorescent lightingfixtures.

An object of the invention is to provide an adjustable mounting bracketfor an outdoor lighting fixture which includes means for effectingaccurate adjustment of the fixture whereby to provide a zone of maximumillumination at or over a particular ground area.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mounting bracket whichis adapted to be interposed between the upper end of a verticallyextending mounting pole and a fixture mounted thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bracket having thehereinabove described. characteristics and which includes means forenabling the bracket to be adjusted while supporting an illuminator.

Still a further object of the invention is toprovide a mounting bracketof the type described which includes means for effectively precludingintentional or unintentional introduction of foreign objects into theinterior thereof, the presence of which foreign objects would or couldimpair the operating characteristics of the bracket and/or interfereswith the electrical system or circuits in the bracket.

These and otherobjects are attained by the means described herein and asdisclosed in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view, with parts thereof broken away,illustrating a bracket in use.

Pig. 2 is a side elevational view taken from the right end of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the bracket of Pig. 2,showing the relationship of parts when in a fully lowered position.

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3, illustrating the relationship ofparts when in a fully elevated position.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 3 with partsomitted.

6 is a vertical sectional view through a modified type of bracketembodying the teachings of the present invention.

With particular reference now to the drawings, the numeral 10 denotesgenerally a vertically disposed mounting pole to the top of which alighting fixture 12 is to be mounted for illuminating a predeterminedground area.

The numeral 14 denotes generally the bracket of the subject inventionwhich is adapted to be interposed between pole 1t and fixture 12 forsecurely though adjustably mounting the fixture relative to the polewhereby the locus of maximum illumination may be conveniently alteredand/or adjusted.

With particular reference now to Fig. 3, it will be noted that thesubject bracket comprises a fixed part and a movable part 22 which ispivotally secured to the fixed part as at 24 by a pivot pin or bolt 25.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, fixed part 20 comprises asocket portion 26 having a bore 28 2 dimensioned to telescopicallyreceive the upper end 39 of support pole 10, the free upper end 32 ofwhich will abut stops 34 provided in the upper end of socket 26. Thesocket may be securely though releasably fastened to pole 19 by means ofanchor bolts 36 which engage internally threaded bores of boss 38. Ifdesired, a bolt 48 may be inserted through the side walls of socket 26and the walls of pole It) as illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 6, forfurther securing the bracket to a mounting pole.

In addition to socket portion 26, the fixed part 20 includes an upwardlyextending front wall or forward member 50 which constitutes a rugged,bifurcated support for the movable part 22 and the illuminator fixture12 carried thereby. The lower portion of member 50 may be considered asa bottom wall 51 which termimates in a forwardly and upwardly extending,outwardly inclined tongue 52 integral with the forward edge of member50.

The balance of the fixed part 20 is defined by an upstanding, arcuaterear wall 54, and a pair of laterally spaced side walls 56, for therebydefining, with the rear face 53 of wall 50, a hollow, open-topped upperchamber or portion above the socket 26 which, in horizontal section, issubstantially rectangular, as best illustrated in Fig. 5. a

The movable part 22 comprises a hollow housing having parallel,laterally spaced side walls 70, a top wall 72, a rear wall 74, and anarrow partial front wall '75 which terminates in a downwardly andrearwardly extending lip 77. The said side walls 70 are dimensioned toextend over and loosely receive the outer faces of side walls 56 of thefixed part 20. The forward portions of the side walls 70 are cut awaywhereby to provide a right angular opening (note Fig. 6) defined byedges 82 and 84, which are disposed at meeting at an apex 86 which islocated immediately forward of pivotal connection 24. Bosses such as 96and 92 may be provided in the forward end of top wall 72 and upper endof front wall 75 adjacent faces 82 and 84 for providing internallythreaded bores 91 and 93, respectively, adapted to receive mountingbolts 90a and 92a (see Figs. 3 and 4) by which the mounting bracket 94of an illuminator 12 is securely affixed to movable part 22.

Relative motion between parts 20 and 22 may be efliected by rotation ofbolt 100, the head of which rides upon, abuts against and is carried bytop .wall 72 of the movable part. The threaded shank of bolt engages theinternally threaded bore of pivot block 102 which extends transverselybetween the inner faces of side walls 56 of the fixed part, and to whichside walls said block is pivotally mounted such as by means of pivotpins 104, note Fig. 5.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that rotation of bolt 100 willcause movable part 22 to turn relative to the fixed part about pivotpoint 24, and that such turning action will automatically effect ashifting or movemention of illuminator 12 for altering the groundillumination pattern of the illuminator.

As illustrated in Fig. 4, the lower end or lip 77 of front wall 75 ofthe movable part is disposed immediately beneath the forward edge 55 oftongue 52 of fixed part 2% when the movable element has been shifted toa fully elevated position; and, as shown in Figs.,3 and 6, lip 77 of thefront wall 75 is disposed under that end of the tongue 52 which isadjacent to the socket 25 when the movable part has been moved to itsfully lowered position. It is therefore evident that the relationshipbetween tongue 52 of the fixed part and front wall 75 of the movablepart is such that the front of the bracket is closed against theintentional or unintentional introduction of foreign objects into theinterior of the composite bracket, as are the side and rear portionsthereof. The relation- 3 ship between rear walls 54 and 74 is clearlyapparent in Figs. 3, 4 and 6, whereas the relationship between sidewalls 56 and 70 is illustrated in Fig. 5.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, ,a lock bolt 110 engagesthe internally threaded bore of a boss 112 provided on the lower end ofrear wall 74 of the movable part, whereby the forward end of bolt 110will engage the rear face 114 of rear wall 54 of the fixed part 20. Lockbolt 110 will enable the fixed and movable parts to be securely thoughreleasably locked in adjusted position.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention a stop lug 120 is securedto and carried by the free upper end of rear wall 54 of the fixed partfor providing an abutment which projects rearwardly of said wall, beingeng'ageable with bolt 110 for limiting the maximum lowered relativeposition between the movable and fixed parts.

In the modified construction illustrated in Fig. 6 relative movementbetween the fixed and movable parts must be manually effected, saidparts being then locked in adjusted position by means of lock bolt 110.

The numeral 200 denotes generally an access plate se cured in place byfasteners 202, said plate controlling access to the interior of thecomposite bracket via opening 204 provided in top wall 72 of the movablepart.

It will be understood that the weight of an illuminator 12 will exert acontinuous turning force on the movable part 22 in a clockwise directionabout pivotal connection 24. This force is resisted by adjusting bolt100 which is under tension, whereby the movable part will be pivotedvupwardly in a counterclockwise direction incident to turning said boltfor pulling the rear portion of the movable part downwardly toward pivotblock 102 which is secured to and carried by the fixed part.

Pivot pin or bolt 25 is located above and at or just forwardly of socket.26, whereas pivot block.102 is 10':

cated above and on the opposite side of the socket.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the outer surface 114 of rear wall 54 of thefixed part may be provided with suitable indicia, such as, by way ofexample, degree markings,

and the rear portion of the side wall of the movable part, provided withan indicator mark such as 150, for col. A bracket for adjustablymounting an illuminator upon a support, said bracket comprising twoparts having a superposed relation, the lower part embodying an .opentopbody having a back wall, spaced side walls, an upright front wall andmeans for securing the body upon a support, the upper part having anopenbottom body including a back wall, space side walls and a top wall,said lower part body having the top portion extending into the openbottom of the upper part, a pivot means between the-adjacent side wallsof the two parts, the axis of said pivot passing through the saidupright front Wall of the lower part, the side walls of the upper partprojecting beyond the said upright front wall, an illuminator mountingmeans extending across and secured to forward edges of said projectingwalls at a location forwardly of said, upright front wall, and a thrustimparting means con-' necting the top wall of the upper'part. with thelower part at a location between the back wall and said upright front 4wall of the lower part for efiecting oscillation of the upper part onsaid axis.

2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the said forward edges ofthe sidewalls of the upper part are recessed and said illuminatormounting means is formed to fit in said recesses.

3. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said thrust impartingmeans comprises a pivot block pivotally mounted between the side wallsof the lower part and located between the said upright front wall andthe back wall of the lower part and a screw extending through and freelyrotatably supported by the top wall of said upper part and passingthrough and having threaded connection with said pivot block.

4. The invention according to 'clarrn- 1, wherein the said back walls ofthe bodies of the upper and lower parts are arcuate and overlapping andconcentric with said pivot axis, with means between said back Walls forsecuring the parts against turning.

- 5. A bracket for adjustably supporting an illuminator upon the top ofa support pole, said bracket comprising a fixed part including a socketportion and a chambered body rising from the socket portion and definedby a curved upstanding rear wall extending from one side of said socket,a pair of laterally spaced upstanding side walls, an upstanding frontwall and a bottom wall extending from the opposite side of said socket,said bottom wall merging with an upwardly and outwardly extendingtongue, and a chambered downwardly opening movable part overlying andreceiving in the chamber thereof a major portion of the chambered bodyand having a curved rear wall, a top wall, a pair of laterally spacedside walls and a partial front wall connected between the lower portionof the side walls and terminating in a downwardly and inwardly extendinglip, pivot means between the side walls of said parts at a locationsubstantially directly above the side of the socket opposite from saidcurved upstanding wall, the rear and side walls of said movable partbeing in overlapping relationship with the respective rear and sidewalls of said fixed part, the curved rear walls being parallel andconcentric with the pivot means, the lip of the said front wall of saidmovable part being in underlapping relationship with the tongue of thebottom wall of said fixed part, an illuminator mounting means fixed tosaid movable part forwardly of its pivotal connection with thefixedpart, a

-major portion thereof housed within the movable part and having thrustconnection with the fixed part whereby to effect the turning adjustmentof the movable part on the fixed part.

References Cited in the file of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS1,824,188 Anton Sept. 22, 1931 2,170,882 VWideroe Aug. 29, 19392,193,272 Crossley Mar. 12, 1940 2,593,075 Vale Apr. 15, 1952 WiessJan.,12, 1954

